My Duties as CNA: Turning, Repositioning and Transferring of Patients

Safe patient handling is carrying out these activities on your patients to help promote their health and well-being. You may not see it right away, but you are helping to improve respiratory status while moving them because we always have the patients take deep breaths upon movement thereby helping to air rate their lungs. We are helping to improve the prevention of skin breakdown which is very serious problem especially with patients who are bed ridden. The tiniest wrinkle in the sheets can be detrimental to one’s skin who does not turn or move on their own. Stage one redness of skin wounds can actually be a stage two or deeper under the surface of the skin. I will talk about skin care further in a separate blog.

Prior to carrying out any of these activities you must first get all your supplies ready, and any of the equipment to help move or lift patients. Equipment can be as simple as a draw sheet for turning, walkers for patients to help with their ambulation and getting out of bed (OOB) and even Hoyer lifts for those who cannot move on their own. Remember you are part of a team ask for help when needed. Never put your patient or yourself in any dangerous situation. The other part of your team beside your nurses are the physical therapists who can show you the proper ways to get patients out of the bed. Don’t be afraid to ask for their assistance. It helps you to build a good repoire with other team members you may not see all the time.

There are steps you must take prior to performing these activities to ensure patient safety at all times. But you must also protect your own backs and legs in doing so. Proper Body mechanics is very important for you to move patients correctly without injury to yourself. Your body mechanics helps to focus on your proper posture, balance and coordination. After many years of working and lifting patients it can take a toll on your body, so take it seriously for your safety and your patents safety. Your clinical instructor will teach you the proper way to lift and move your patients. The facilities that you will work in also have orientation programs you need to go through and they will have a section on turning, repositioning and transferring of patients. They will teach you how to operate all the equipment necessary for patient movements. Do not use any machines without the proper education. Remember to plug in any equipment to their charging stations so they are ready at all times. There have been many times the equipment was not plugged in or it was borrowed on another unit and not stored properly for the next time. When this action is not completed and the equipment not taken care of properly your patient suffers from this, because this equipment may be their only means of movement to get out of bed. So always be mindful of the steps needed to ensure proper utilization of all equipment.

Prior to doing any of the activities remember to wash the equipment you will be using with the proper wipes per the facility you work at. Wipe down equipment after each usage as well. Wash your hands, wear gloves as needed, introduce yourself and explain everything that you will be doing for the patient. It alleviates their anxiety and gains your trust. As a rule, with any patient needing any form of assistance they will be considered a fall risk. These patients will need the proper arm band and or socks according to the facility to help ensure patient safety. An example: Where I worked was bright yellow wrist bands for falls and red socks with grips on the soles. These indicated the patient should never be on their own.

As you perform these activities our patient’s safety is always our main concern, but if for any reason you have been injured during the process of moving a patient, please make sure that you report it and fill out the proper incident reports where you work. Your own health and well-being is just as important as the patients you take care of.